PENGUIN DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 443, 27 February 1909, Page 6

PENGUIN DISASTER.

INQUEST CONTINUED AND . ADJOURNED. ■■-..;; A LIGHT ON'TONGUE POINT., ~ SUGGESTED BY CAPTAIN-NAYLOR. The'inquest on those who perished at the wreck of the Penguin on February 12 was continued yesterday morning at the Magistrate, s: Court before Dr. .A. -, M'Arthiir, S.M., and a jury, of which Mr.' J. D.-Siev-•wnglit was: foreman./' , -Mr.-Levi represented the Union Company] .: Robert Gouchman Watts, late second stewthe evidence ho had given at the, inquiry.,. . . ... .' n ' reply 'to the. Coroner,' witness stated that; the raft which he was on drifted for ;four hours,., but he had no -idea how far it travelled. .... -': ' " Arthur Thompson, late 'purser, George Patrick Farrell, A.B. on the Penguin, and Robert: Jack, a : passenger, also gave'evidence. ;'.- . ..:/.' ~; - Captain.' Naylor,' recalled, stated, in replyto. the/foreman, that even under..the circumstances of the disaster, he would again take up.tho same course. foreman, asked if there'was anything the captain. could ; suggest to enable ' him to avoid a recurrence of such a disaster.. Captain Nayio'r . thereupon outlined the course'which he'had followed, and. said that : the weather in: tho Strait 'could not- -.be depended 'on. He might leave Pencarrbw : in dirty weather, and discover it to be'fine on--the other side of the Strait. 1 His opinion' was. that a light on Tongue. Point,; with a red-sector; could. have 'been . seen ..on the night of the wreck. Ships steaming from'!. south, : arid failing to' open Cape' Campbell, / would see' the Brothers 'light or the'one on Tongue Point. The light w6uld enable Tom's Rock to be given an offing of a mile and'three-quarters at least. - '' '.'Sub-Inspector Phair said that was all. the evidence-he'Jiad' at - present./. Messrs.. Green , and .Miller, were away. ..'•-.'■' The. Coroner intimated that the inquiry would, terminate unless the jury cPnsidered ■ further evidence, necessary. 1 ■■'.'■ .". ,'. •:'.: , .Several jurors thought that, more evidence should -be',called,- 'and the foreman,remarked ' that no evidence' as ;to. the finding-of .'the bodies.' had been given.- . •The. Coroner:. Why,, I can give, evidence on that : point .myself;-''.l': viewed, them. ~ -I The "foreman mentioned' that, the'.jury, would ..like, to put a few questions to' the police One query was as to why the bodies were"'left, lying exposed for twenty-four hours. '. The Coroner:/ With all due deference to you, Mr. Foreman,.that would be enlarging: :the/inquiry ; quite, beyond its scope.-.' The questipn is what was the cause of death.,. ~ It .was decided /that Mr. Miller's evidence should be heard. v' ' ■ -The. inquest, was -adjourned; until Monday morning'at, 10.30. ... ' : ;lh,reply to;Mr:'Levi, the Coroner: stated that he, would not', give .the .decision in the

nautical- inquiry until after the jury had ' given. its ycrdioti-.-...- , '..'.'.-;;..'. - ./'•■•■..-. ; : y'- -.--v. \ '■'■V\ TWO MORE BOtilES FOUND. ! ! _- The tug Terawhiti brought another body .1 in. frbih the scene,of the wreck yesterday. ' The body is supposed to be that at an able : ; seaman named Henderson, formerly in the ! Royal' Naval, Reserve. An R.N.R. singlet : found on the; body- has been'' identified as' - ; being similar, to the one worn by Henderson. ': Henderson was tho man who, when hailed by ■ a rafi on the- night of the: wreck, called, out that he-.was the only person on his , was .'thought'htYfirst that- he -lived .when . ashore with friends at/Port Chalmers, but Mr'.'jJas. Moore says that there.is'now some doubt as to'whether his home was at Port Chalmers or at Auckland, and if anyone cangive; information on this .point Mr. Moore will';bo very' glad to veceiye it.' ,': Still, another body-was recovered yesterday, afternoon,, being 'found,, amongst the rooks near. Oterangi Bay. Sixty bodies have now been brought, in, leaving* 12. still , according to..the police, lists. .v. , -..'. j ',-.■ The Union Company's tug Terawhiti is'.to' be sent'out to. the''scene, of 'the wreck this ' 'morning to' bring 'in the last body' rec'b'v-'. ered.:- A' launch : is: also being sent' out ..to' make a' search of the rqcka and. keep in .the vicinity of .the'wreck, in the hope that more bodies may- bo located., .. ~:,.'■:;.'"; - .;.; : ' The decision to. bury, .any, further bodies that come ashore' at Terawhiti on the spot has been abandoned," and all. bodies will be brought into town-if such a'course is possible,, The'sand'on:the beach at Terawhiti. only. .goes.'clown'about 2ft. -before rock is reached. ~.;'';... :..-.. ~.,:,.. .';,'-:;: : ; ; .y:;-;;:..RELi'EF^FUND.; ; -:'^':^-''V ; - Tho following donations' have been received at The Dominion -v'' : -:::..':.': ; V v ; : .-'■ V--'- £ ; s. d. .Amount already, acknowledged... 6612 6$ Collected at' .'• open-air concert -;. ■' .:.'v: held-on Mr.'.J; H. Reade's : . lawn, Lower Hutt ... 91210 -. J. Hainbly, Kilbirnie ... ... 1 5 0 Collected: at AVoodville Show ... 515 0 :'';■ .' -Total.,"''„. . .... ■''■'.:.".83 54} A motion bf'condblonce with the relatives of the late: Mr. C. Bird, who was drowned in the Penguin wreck,'was passed at last night's annual meeting of the Wellington Football Club. -Some few. years back Mr. Bird was a prominent member of the club. Rather a unique method was adopted by several local gentlemen (writes bur AVoodville correspondent) to'raise funds for the Penguin Rolief Fund.' Some time ago Mr. Prosswood made a very largo kite with numerous signs'and. pictures upon it. This was-notified to be exhibited flying in tho' show grounds on show day. Three little girls willingly took round collection boxes, and the sum ; of ,£5 15s.- was taken up. Enclosed you will .find the sum mentioned. ■'■:■ A resolution was passed at a meeting of • Druids.on Thursday night:expressing sympathy in oonneotion with tho disastrous wreok ..of-tna Penguin, ~